In Blackest Night
Synopsis 'No man escapes the Manhunters.' An alien court sends the Manhunters to bring Green Lantern back for prosecution on the charge of genocide, and the League gets involved. Believing that Green Lantern is receiving an unfair trial, the Leaguers investigate, while GL's superiors, the Guardians of the Universe, enter as witnesses. But the whole trial may be a ruse. Full Recap Part One An alien court sends the Manhunters, powerful androids, to bring Green Lantern back for prosecution. Green Lantern is touring his old neighborhood when the Manhunters arrive and try to capture him. The League is alerted and Superman, J'onn, Flash, and Hawkgirl step in. The Manhunters are strong enough to go head-to-head with Superman, but after a brief fight Green Lantern surrenders himself and his ring. The Manhunters take Green Lantern to Ajuris, where he is put on trial for the destruction of its sister planet. The League pursue in the Javelin-7 and arrive at the trial, only to hear him admit that he is guilty of the billions of deaths he is accused of. Part Two Believing that Green Lantern is being tried unfairly in the galactic court, the Leaguers decide to do some digging of their own. The Flash mounts a defense (of sorts), while Hawkgirl tries to motivate John's fellow Green Lanterns in her own unique method (i.e., she slugs them), and Superman and J'Onn investigate the scene of the destroyed planet. As the case moves on, the Guardians of the Universe, the ones who formed the Green Lantern Corp, enter as witnesses, but make the mistake of leaving the cradle of the Green Lantern power, Oa, partially unguarded. Superman and J'Onn realize that John has been framed: the Manhunters, former android servants of the Guardians, concealed the planet with a cloaking device and plan to destroy the seat of their former masters' power. They framed John Stewart to draw out the Guardians and weaken their defenses, since they themselves power the Central lantern. The Manhunter armies launch a mass assault but the Justice League delay them long enough for John to enter the Central Battery and prevent the Lead Manhunter from acquiring all of the Guardians' power. John is cleared of all charges and, relieved, returns to Earth with the League. Comic References The Manhunters are part of a long and absurdly involved DC history. There were two Golden Age Manhunters - the one wearing the red-and-blue armor seen here was Paul Kirk (first appearance Adventure Comics #73, April 1942). He hunted "the most dangerous game" and basically beat up on Nazi villains and street crooks. He later worked for the OSS during World War II, grew tired of the senseless brutality, then went off to Africa and got run over by a rogue elephant (whoops!). He was later revived by a mysterious Council, given Wolverine-like regeneration powers and the coolest costume in comic-book history, and got himself blown up fighting the Council after they made a bunch of clones of him for their own Enforcement Branch. Occasionally a clone pops up. Paul Kirk shouldn't be confused with Dan Richards, a Quality hero later bought up by DC (he premiered in Police #8), who was a police officer who also called himself Manhunter and fought crime with the help of his police dog Thor (they both wore little domino masks). Okay, then we got another Manhunter, Mark Shaw, who appeared in First Issue Special #5. They pretty much ignored the Paul Kirk version and put Shaw in the red-and-blue armor, and established him as a member of a Society of Manhunters. It later turned out these Manhunters were in fact androids created by the Guardians of the Universe, who recruited human members (including the first two Manhunters, Kirk and Richards, back in the 40's) as unwitting dupes. The Manhunters worked against the Guardians, framing Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) for the destruction of a planet to undermine the Guardians' chosen protectors. Mark Shaw wasn't happy about that and gave up the costume to become "The Privateer," but later he dumped that nom de plume and became Manhunter again with a different costume although still heavy on the red-and-blue. The Manhunter androids later revealed they had dozens of sleeper agents, human and android, next to pretty much every superhero on Earth (Lana Lang, Dan Richard's dog Thor, Rocket Red, etc.). They were pretty much thoroughly defeated during the events of the Millennium cross-over and haven't been seen since (as of this episode' premiere). Episode Oddities * It seems the show's writers decided to get rid of, or at least dampen, J'onn's fear and vulnerability to fire. In this episode he not only causes a car to burst into flame but he doesn't react when the flames blow his way. * When Kilowog is being questioned by the prosecutor, you can see his ring disappear and reappear from one scene to the other. * When all the power was taken from the central battery, why was John the only GL affected? Trivia * The yellow skinned alien with a ponytail sitting in the gallery was also seen in Superman's "The Main Man, Part 1" as one of Gnaww's thugs. * The title of this episode refers to the Green Lantern's code: "In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's light!". The first – and only – episode of Superman featuring a Green Lantern was titled "In Brightest Day" * The opening sequence with John Stewart striding down the street in overcoat and shades with music in the background references "Shaft". * This story is in part an adaption of Justice League of America 140-141 (first series), "No Man Escapes the Manhunter." That story featured the "original" Silver Age Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, rather than John Stewart. It also incorporates elements of 'Cosmic Odyssey'. In that mini-series John Stewart destroys a planet, although he is never put on trial. * This episode was nominated for a Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing in Television Animation. When Hawkgirl fights the Green Lanterns, you can see various alien characters from the Superman episode "The Main Man" with Lobo. * Flash: If the ring wasn't lit, you must acquit!- Flash's statement is a parody of the late Johnnie Cochran's infamous quote in defending O.J. Simpson as Mr. Simpson's trial lawyer in the 1994 case of Mr. Simpson's alleged murder of Nicole Brown Simpson: "If the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit!" Quotes Hawkgirl: (about GL) Why would he surrender his ring? Superman: John's a strange one, all right. Hawkgirl: I'm beginning to think all you humans are. (looks at Superman) Sorry. Superman: It's all right. I take it as a compliment. Flash: Don't you ever get tired of being lonely? J'onn: More than you could ever imagine. Flash: Aren't you gonna thank me? Hawkgirl: Down boy J'onn: Superman's dealing with an earthquake, Wonder Woman's on another case, and Batman would only say that he's busy. Hawkgirl: Typical. Flash: We thought you were busy with an earthquake. Superman: It was just a 4.0. Flash: 'Flash, take the controls.' But does anyone ask if I know how?!